Kids Learn what they Live

I was on the L&L facebook page, and the Institute writes "Want young children who are good about doing their chores? Let them see you being great about doing your chores - have fun and avoid complaining."

This seems to be a common threme in parenting since I became a mom last year. How do I teach Connor to be a good person, happy, kind, and motivated? I think the number one way to do it is to for my husband and I to be all of those things as well. We have a very happy and kind home, but motivation is rough for us both. I don't know how to turn myself into a more motivated person. I suppose if there is any reason to be motivated to become more motivated is for your kids.

Comments (3)

I use this phrase all the time! It is so true that they learn what they live. What do you feel like you need to be more motivated about? I find that in areas I procrastinate in are because I have trouble visualizing the end results - I just focus on not wanting to do it 'right now,' so I don't. But when I try to think of the 'why' I am doing something, and try to picture how it will be when I am done, it helps me to do it right away!

I don't know if that helps. Are there specific areas you are not motivated about, or is it an all around laid back lifestyle? Because that is OK too if it works for you!

Haha - I'm a reformed all around laid back lifestyle. I keep my house pretty clean, but it gets messy way to quickly again, and I'll procrastinate bringing it back to baseline. I do (a very little) work from home and some days I spend the whole day NOT working and then feel bad that I didn't get anything done. Like right now I should be working but instead I'm here. :-) More than anything, it's the bigger projects, the weekend projects that I need help with motivation on. Yard work, staining the other half of the deck, unpacking the last 10% of my boxes (we moved the first week of July). My dad is a total DIY guy and growing up, he really engendered in me a sense that I can do anything. I wish to pass that on, but I worry that the kids growing up seeing us be lazy all weekend will just teach them to do the same. I realize that these are small potatoes compared to the difficulties so many people face. I'm blessed that this is the aspect of parenting I worry about, LOL! I need to try your visualization technique! Visualization has always worked really well for me.

The bigger projects are harder for us too - I love working around the house, but my husband would rather pay someone to do it. This makes things very tough! When we were getting ready for our first child, we did a ton of stuff around the house, and DH found it was actually worth it if you have someone to work with! For us, though, we have to have a list, and we have to have the satisfaction of crossing things off the list. We also set milestones and reward ourselves for jobs well done. Kind of like the kids, ha! It helps with the motivation, anyway!

Actually, for me, visualizing and enjoying the finished product is enough. DH needs the rewards ;) But you have to find what works for you - everyone is different!